The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1887-09-30
PRECIOUS AMsERoRIs.
A Costly waH of the Sea Occasionally
Found Floating the Water.

A Costly Waif of the Sea Occasionally
Found Floating on the Water.
Two sailors entered wholesale drug
store on lower Nassau street the other
day, carrying with them parcel which
they handled as carefully as young
mother fondles her infant. They
thought they had piece of ambergris,
which is very costly substance usually
found in the bellyof a dyspeptic whale.
They were confident they had some
thing worth about $4,000, but upon
examination, unfortunately, il was
found to be only hardened tallow mixed
with dirt and salt-about as valuable
as a chattel mortgage on flock Of
pigeons. The Captain could not believe
in the experts judgment, and went out,
still clutching his long-guarded treas
ure and expressing his dissatisfaction
with a liberal use of profanity. Similar
mistakes to the one already described
are often made in this city. The pro-
prietor of the store spoke of the history
and uses Of ambergris as follows:
Nearly every one is constantly using
ambergris. 1t is every day in the hands
of ladies and gentlemen throughout tie
world, but comparatively few people
know any thing about it. It's origin is
disputed. Even scientists do not agree
upon its true source; and, although it
enters all houses where civilization
reaches and an immensely profitable
trade in the commodity is carried on,
nine out of ten people whom you meet
would not know what you meant if you
mentioned its name. It is slate-like
substance, varying in color from dark
to Ii lt gray, the darker shades, whiCSa
are also denser in fiber, being the most
valuable. A piece weighing from
twenty to thirty-fve pounds is seen but
once in a lifetime. The most of it
handled by dealers is made up of pieces
only a few ounces in weight. 1t is
worth to-day about $24 per ounce, and
during the last few years has sold as
high as $40 per ounce in consequence |
Of its scarcity, Finding piece of
it is like finding S. note.
You are as likely, or unlikely,
to find it in one place as in another.
There are several theories as to its
origin, the generally-accepted one being
and indigestible matter in the stomach
IF sick whale. 1t is found all over the
globe at rare intervals by seafaring
men, either floating on the water, cast
Up on some shore or lodged inside the
whale. The greatest source of supply
S the Arctic ocean, and also the south
I'm ATTITUDES, the usual cruising ground
# whaling vessels. The commanders
re always on the lookout for it, as
mong the superstitions of the sea it is
onsidered an omen of good luck for
he ship ever afterward when her master
rings home piece of ambergris. He
5 always allowed a portion of the
rofits. You could put piece worth
10000 in your Overeoat pocket, and
rom this you can understand how the
pliers of the ocean never cease their
igilance in hunting FOB it.
THE fact that it is the most efficient
nown substance in producing the
Isting quality in perfumery, gives it its
nornOuS commercial value. Civet and
lusk are used for the same purpose,
ut are not so powerful. When per-
lme is made. white rose, cassia or
eliotropa. for example, the odor of the
overs w~uld 4aickly pass away, as
lie spirits forming the body of the
quid evaporate. Ambergris, however,
revents this, and is the indispensable
Don that holds back the scent for DAYS
nd weeks upon the handkerchief.
Then treated with alcohol it divides
self up into an almost Infinite
lmber of fine particles, which
e mixed in the perfumery and re-
ain on the fabric after the spirits
Ave evaporated, acting as minute reser-
,irs and holding the pure essence of
over after the cloth is perfectly dry
ne ounce dissolved in a gallon of alec :
j will make strong tincture, and
IA would be required to use 'only a
ngle ounce of this tincture in a gallon
perfumery; which conveys an idea of
wv far few ounces of ambergris will
}. Its production is limited to a few
FUNDS per year, whereas it is the most
lpOrtant factor in the manufacture of
lllions of gallons of perfumery. When
large piece is found the news of the
scovery is telegraphed to dealers and
e markets of the world are affected.
one instance New York firm, some
ars ago, bought up large portion of
e existing supply, and realized large
on the corner thus produced Boston
the most influential center, as New
dford, near at hand, sends out more
laling ships than any other city =
any country. The owners of the |
Ups sell the ambergris to the whole
lie dealers, and although all large
NC stores keep little on hand, it is
ught directly from the wholesale men
the perfumery manufacturers. -
Y. Mail and Express.